The lost mate

Chapter 135: Some plans new and old

Jessica lay curled up on the cold stone floor of her room, her body trembling as waves of pain surged through her. The agony felt like it was tearing her apart from the inside. Her fingers gripped the edge of her bed as she gasped for breath, and her teeth gritted against the searing ache. She hated this—the unbearable sensation that struck every time she felt Damien and Anne together. It was like a dagger twisting in her chest, a sharp reminder that the bond she had with Damien was incomplete and fractured. 1

She could feel them now, making love. The half-mark she carried, the one that had been forced upon her, connected her to Damien in the cruellest of ways. She wasn’t his true mate, and yet she felt every flicker of his emotions, every moment of tenderness he shared with the woman.

Tears blurred Jessica’s vision, but she quickly wiped them away.

She had never wanted to be in this position. She hadn’t asked for this bond, this cursed mark that tethered her to Damien in such a twisted way. But her father had given her no choice.

She had grown up under his iron rule, and when he had decided that she would be the one to secure power by becoming Damien’s mate, she had known there was no escape. Refusing him would have meant suffering a fate far worse than the one she endured now.

So she had done it. She had followed her father’s orders.

She was trapped in a living nightmare. Alone, friendless, and hated by the very people she had been forced to live among. The wolves in this pack didn’t see her as one of their own. They saw her as a parasite, a reminder of the disruption her father had caused.

Damien was supposed to be with Anne. Everyone knew it. They were true mates, destined for each other in a way that Jessica could never compete with. She had been a tool used to create discord, and now she was nothing more than an unwanted presence.

The pain in her chest flared again, a burning sensation that made her curl up tighter. There was no place for her here. No love. No kindness. She couldn’t even remember the last time someone had spoken to her without malice in their tone.

Her breath caught in her throat when her phone rang.

Her father.

The name alone made her chest tighten with dread. Alpha Jackson didn’t call unless he wanted something, and that something was never in her favour.

Jessica hesitated for a split second, her finger hovering over the screen before she answered the call.

"Jessica," his voice was cold, sharp, and commanding, as always. There was no pretence of concern or affection. Just business.

"Father," she replied, trying to keep the tremor out of her voice. She could already sense that this call was going to make everything worse.

"I’ve heard about Damien’s plans," Jackson continued without any preamble, his words clipped and direct. "He’s organising a grand mating ceremony for the packs."

Jessica remained silent. She had nothing to say. She didn’t want to be part of this anymore. She had never wanted any of it in the first place. But Jackson wasn’t a man who cared about what she wanted.

"I’m sending your aunt to you," Jackson continued, his tone dropping, growing more ominous. "She’ll take care of things."

Her heart skipped a beat. Aunt Elara.

Jessica’s throat tightened. Her aunt was a seer, someone who dabbled in dark arts—potions, charms, spells that bordered on forbidden. If her father was sending her, it meant only one thing: he was planning something again, something dangerous. Something that would force Jessica to be even more entangled in his schemes.

"I don’t need Aunt Elara here." Jessica protested weakly, knowing full well that her objections wouldn’t matter. "I—"

"Jessica," Jackson cut her off sharply, his voice like ice. "You will do as I say. Elara is coming, and you will follow her instructions to the letter. Do you understand?"

Jessica’s hand tightened around the phone, her knuckles turning white. She wanted to scream, to tell him no, to say that she had had enough of his manipulations, his control over her life. But the words wouldn’t come. They never did.

"Yes," she whispered, her voice barely audible, the word a bitter surrender.

"Good," Jackson replied, his tone final. "She’ll arrive soon. Don’t make any mistakes, Jessica. You know what’s at stake."

The call ended abruptly, leaving Jessica staring at her phone, her mind reeling.

She knew what was at stake—her father’s plans, his hunger for power, his need to control every aspect of her life. He had forced her into this twisted bond with Damien, and now, with Elara coming, he was preparing to manipulate things even further.

Jessica leant back against the wall, her heart heavy with a mixture of fear and helplessness. Damien was moving on with his life, preparing to celebrate a future with his true mate, and here she was—still a pawn in her father’s schemes, still trapped by a bond she never wanted.

Her aunt would come, and whatever plan Jackson had in motion, Jessica knew she would be dragged into it, just like she always was. Her fate wasn’t her own anymore.

**************************

Alpha Falcon’s eyes, soft and filled with warmth, were focused on the little bundle of energy playing in the corner of the room. Ryan was chasing after a wooden toy, his laughter ringing like bells in the spacious living quarters.

"Come here, little warrior!" Falcon called, his deep voice tinged with an affection he reserved for very few. Ryan looked up, his cheeks flushed with the excitement of play, and without hesitation, he ran into Falcon’s waiting arms.

Falcon lifted him effortlessly, tossing him in the air just enough to send the toddler into fits of giggles before catching him and pulling him close. "You, my boy, are going to be the best Alpha ever," Falcon said, grinning as he kissed Ryan on the forehead. "The best grandson anyone could ask for."

Liana stood by the doorway, watching the scene unfold. She had always known how much Falcon adored Ryan. He had doted on the boy from the moment he was born, practically glued to his side whenever he had the time. To him, Ryan was the epitome of the perfect lineage.

She swallowed the lump in her throat and forced a smile. "Father," she said, stepping into the room, her voice gentle, "I wanted to talk to you about the grand mating ceremony."

Falcon reluctantly tore his gaze away from Ryan, who had begun playing with his Alpha grandfather’s beard, tugging at it in amusement. "Oh? What about it?"

"We’re organising a large one this time," Liana said, keeping her tone neutral. "We’re inviting members from all the packs, including yours. It’ll be a good opportunity for Malcom to find his mate."

Malcom was Liana’s younger brother, who was still mateless.

Falcon chuckled, the sound rich and full of disbelief. "Ah, Liana, you’re still caught up in this idea of ’true mates,’ aren’t you?" He shifted Ryan onto his lap and gave the boy a playful poke. "See, this is where we differ."

Liana raised an eyebrow, her forced smile not quite reaching her eyes. "What do you mean?"

Falcon leant back, his broad shoulders relaxing as if preparing for a lecture. "I never believed in true mates," he said matter-of-factly. "I mean, look at us, Liana. I chose Richard for you, didn’t I? And look how wonderfully that turned out. You had a strong son in Damien, and now you have this perfect little warrior right here." He ruffled Ryan’s hair affectionately, his grin widening.

Liana’s heart clenched. Falcon had always been so certain of his decisions, so proud of the life he had designed for her.

"You’ve had such a wonderful life with Richard, and now Damien’s growing into a leader just like his father. Why complicate things with this ’true mate’ nonsense?"

Liana’s stomach twisted, but she maintained her composure. How could she tell him? How could she look him in the eye and shatter the illusion he had built around them?

If he knew the truth—that Damien wasn’t her son, wasn’t even connected to Falcon’s bloodline—it would break him.

Instead, she nodded, forcing the words out with difficulty. "Perhaps you’re right, dad. But still, it might be good for your brother to attend. There’s always a chance he might find someone."

Falcon waved her off with a laugh. "We’ll see, we’ll see."